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ASU volleyball coach Sanja Tomasevic gives birth to daughter

Arizona State University head coach Sanja Tomasevic talks to her players during a timeout during their Pac-12 volleyball match on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz.(Photo: Carlos Salcedo/azcentral sports)

Tomasevic is in her first season as ASU head coach after serving as an assistant in 2016.

The Sun Devils (10-14, 0-12 Pac-12) were unable to pull off their first conference win Sunday, losing 3-1 at home to California.

ASU has eight matches remaining including at home against the Oregon schools on Nov. 9 and 11 and at Arizona on Nov. 25. It's possible Tomasevic could coach in one or more of those matches. She is not planning to travel for the other road matches.

Assistant coach Carlos Moreno is running the team in Tomasevic's absence.

ASU soccer pulls off win, surprise reunion for Aly Moon on Senior Day

Oct. 29, 2017

For Arizona State’s three fall sports with first-year coaches, wins are hard to come by in the power-laden Pac-12.

Volleyball is 0-12 in conference, cross country lost both Territorial Cup Series points to Arizona on Friday at the Pac-12 Championships and soccer carried an eight-match winless streak into its home finale Sunday.

That’s why a 1-0 soccer win over Washington on Senior Day was so satisfying at multiple levels on Senior Day.

Coach Graham Winkworth started six seniors including Ashley March in goal then replaced March in the second half with another senior, Megan Delaney. All contributed to the victory against an opponent striving to make the NCAA Tournament.

Sophomore Christina Edwards lined a shot from outside the box past Husky goalkeeper Sarah Shimer in the 73rd minute and the Sun Devils (5-10-3, 2-6-2 Pac-12) held on for their first win since Sept. 22.

“It was a good all-around performance,” Winkworth said. “It was never going to be a high-scoring match, but we managed to get the goal we were looking for and I’m really delighted for our seniors.”

ASU’s starting goalie, freshman Nikki Panas, was out sick, but March and Delaney had plenty of defensive help and were required to make just one save apiece. The Sun Devils last had a shutout win Sept. 17.

Edwards' third goal of the season was at a sharp angle and caught the far corner of the net.

“Kylie (Minifield) said she was about to yell don’t shoot,” Edwards said. “She was really glad she shut up. Coach always talks about being brave, taking shots and if it went to the keeper, maybe they bobble it and we could have followed it. I’m glad I could do it for the seniors. It was solid all-around effort. The energy came from every single spot on the field.”

And even from the off the field.

ASU soccer forward Aly Moon saw her Marine brother Derek for the first time in a year and a half Sunday during Senior Day.(Photo: Jeff Metcalfe/Arizona Republic)

In a pre-match Senior Day ceremony, Aly Moon was honored along with her classmates even though she was unable to play this season due to injuries including concussions.

Moon, who had 16 goals and 45 points in three seasons, was joined by her parents, and in a surprise to her, her brother Derek, who is serving in the Marines in Okinawa, Japan.

A letter from Derek was read with a postscript asking Moon to turn around, where she first saw Derek in uniform walking across the field at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.

“There’s not even words for it,” Moon said. “I was so surprised and so happy to have him back. It’s been a year and half since I’ve seen him last and we’re super close. It was amazing and physically getting to see him and hug him was the best feeling ever.”

Derek said he contacted Winkworth in July about the idea to start the process of getting leave to coincide with ASU’s Senior Day. “It was amazing and awesome,” he said. “I always joke around I’m her No. 1 fan and not getting to see her play. I told her last time I saw her, I hope I get to see your senior game. I got to fulfill that promise.”

ASU closes its season Thursday at Arizona (9-4-4, 6-2-2), which won 2-1 over Washington on Thursday and 1-0 over Washington State on Sunday. ASU lost 1-0 to Washington State on Thursday.

UA leads 2.5 points-0 in the 2017-18 Territorial Cup Series after finishing ahead of ASU at the Pac-12 meet in men's and women's cross country. The rivals meet again in football in Tempe and again in volleyball in Tucson on Nov. 25.

Fred Miller's fingerprints are everywhere on ASU athletic footprint

Oct. 26, 2017

The Arizona State athletic footprint has Fred Miller's fingerprints all over it.

As ASU athletic director from 1971-80, Miller presided over the most prolific era of ASU athletic capital projects until the current expansion under Ray Anderson.

Miller, who died Sunday at 86, was as instrumental in ASU's first golden era of sports as coaches Frank Kush, Bobby Winkles, Jim Brock, Ned Wulk, Baldy Castillo and Bobby Douglas and Mona Plummer.

Wells Fargo Arena, Packard Stadium, Sun Angel Track Stadium, Mona Plummer Aquatic Center and Whiteman Tennis Center all were built during Miller's tenure and thanks to his fundraising. The land was acquired for what today is Karsten Golf Course. Sun Devil Stadium was expanded to seat more than 70,000.

Miller added 10 women's varsity sports to what before then was an all-male lineup, putting ASU ahead of the curve in what later would become Title IX compliance.

Miller oversaw ASU's transition from the Western Athletic Conference into the Pac-10 in 1978. Though things ended badly at ASU with Miller firing Kush in October 1979 then losing his job in January 1980 because of NCAA violations, his legacy extends through generations of athletes and fans particularly through the facilities explosion in his era.

"It all started because of Fred and his ability to have the foresight to see what was needed," said Herman Frazier, who starred on ASU's 1977 NCAA championship men's track team then was hired by Miller to start his athletic administrative career that continues today at Syracuse where Frazier is senior deputy athletic director.

"I would always tell people he got me started in the business," said Frazier, who coincidentally will be back at ASU for Homecoming this weekend and a 40th reunion of the track title team. "I was still in graduate school training for the 1980 Olympics, and Fred saw something in me.

"He was talking to Ned Wulk about moving into administration," but Wulk had just recruiting Byron Scott and Fat Lever and wasn't ready yet to give up basketball coaching. So Miller hired Frazier instead even though the 23-year-old held out until he could wrangle an assistant athletic director title.

"You would never hear anything bad about Fred coming from me," Frazier said. "I'm always indebted to that gentleman. There were some trying times but for me as a young administrator, I learned a lot."

Greg Harney worked in ASU sports information from 1974-82 before working for two decades with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"Fred was so far ahead of his time, it was incredible," Harney said. "On one of my first days, he came down and said let's figure out how to host the Pan American Games in 1987. He was serious. He built the new pool and the rest is history of what he did in the 1970s.

"He exuded leadership and was always very positive. He was always at the forefront of new ideas. He supported Olympic sports and women's teams at a time when a lot of other schools felt like they were being mandated to do it. He took it as an opportunity, and thank goodness he did."

Miller came to ASU after several years as athletic director at Long Beach State and later was athletic director at San Diego State. In 2007, he received the Corbett Memorial Award from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics for his career work. He was inducted into the ASU Athletic Hall of Distinction in 1994.

"Fred Miller's vision and leadership for the Sun Devil athletic department in a time when it was advancing itself on all fronts will always be appreciated," Anderson said. "His contributions continue to make an impact at Arizona State."

ASU soccer to honor seniors

ASU will honor seven seniors in its final home match against Washington at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Those include Maidson Stark, Jazmarie Mader and Jessica Rabye, who have had a big role in recent years, as well as Megan Delaney, Taylor Coon, Keeley Gormley and Madison Kmetko. Student coach Aly Moon, unable to play this season due to injuries, also will be recognized.

The Sun Devils fell 1-0 to Washington State on Thursday night, holding the Cougars scoreless in the first half before giving up the only goal in the 63rd minute when Elyse Bennett scored off a long cross into the box by Sydney Pulver.

Washington State had a 25-9 edge in shots (11-3 shots on goal) although ASU was playing in a defensive alignment until falling behind.

"We changed our system halfway through the second half so the game was always going to open up," ASU coach Graham Winkworth said. "We set up in a defensive set-up where we knew we were going to be outshot considerably, but they're so fast and athletic up top we couldn't allow them the spacing behind.

"We knew if they're shooting from distance with Nikki (Panas) in the goal then we were fine. But unfortunately we got beat around the outside once and let our marks go in the middle."

ASU dropped to 4-10-3 (1-6-2 Pac-12) while Washington State improved to 9-6-2 (4-5).

Mader had four of ASU's nine shots and a chance on goal off a Devyn Kelsey free kick in the 57th minute that Cougars goalkeeper Ella Dederick tipped away.

"I cry sometimes thinking about it," Mader said of her final few college games. "I'm really happy I stayed here and came through this journey with my seniors because it was quite the roller coaster. It's really weird to think about it all being over. I just love this team so much. I'm really excited to go into Sunday with this team and this mentality because we fight every single day to stay positive and to be better on the field and I think it shows."

- The Grand Canyon women's soccer team plays its final regular season home match on Friday against CSU Bakersfield at 4 p.m. The Lopes (4-12-2, 1-4-1 WAC) will host the WAC Tournament on Nov. 1, 3 and 5. The top six teams in the final WAC standings will compete for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

- The GCU men's soccer team (6-9, 3-4) ends in regular season with three straight home matches at GCU Stadium, including a pair this weekend: Seattle (11-2-2, 5-0-2 WAC) on Friday at 7 p.m., Utah Valley (5-8-2, 2-3-2 WAC) on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Volleyball

Volleyball coach Sanja Tomasevic is due to give birth to her first child this week. Assistant Carlos Moreno again will run the team in home matches against No. 2 Stanford at 8 p.m. Friday and California at 11 a.m. Sunday.

ASU remains winless in Pac-12 play at 0-10 and is 10-12 overall following losses at Oregon State (3-1) and No. 15 Oregon (3-1) last week.

Arizona volleyball (8-11, 2-8 Pac-12) hosts Cal on Friday and Stanford on Sunday to open the second half of the season.

Swimming

ASU swimming opens its season with home meets against Utah at 4 p.m Friday and Florida State at 11 a.m. Saturday. Admission is free. The men are ranked No. 8 nationally in the CSCAA coaches poll.

Arizona swimming opens the Augie Busch era at Hillenbrand Aquatic Center Saturday at 11 a.m. when the Wildcats host Utah in the first home meet of the 2017-18 season. The women (1-0) won two weeks ago at Washington State, while the UA men have yet to compete in a dual meet.

Wrestling

ASU wrestling's Maroon & Gold intrasquad meet is at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Riches Wrestling Complex. Fans can tailgate with the wrestlers and coach Zeke Jones outside the wrestling facility at 4 p.m. leading into the football game against USC.

"We talked about needing to get that (winning) feeling after a game," coach Greg Powers said of the second Omaha game that broke a four-game losing streak. "Those are program defining wins and moments we can really build from."

Pac-12 cross country

Oregon hosts the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships on Friday. This event will be the first conference championship of the 2017-18 season. For the first time, the event will be live on Pac-12 Networks.